Rope making machine



Feb. 15, 1938. w. L. BUTCHER ROPE MAKING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 15, 1938. w. BUTCHER ROPE MAKING MACHINE Filled March 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 15, 1938 UNHTED stares PATENT @FFlQE Application March 25,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for making rope and it aims to provide an exceedingly simple, inexpensive, durable and efficient mechanism, capable of being built into a portable construction and of being operated from an automobile wheel or other source of power.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the de scription following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings:-

Figure l is a view of my improvements in side elevation;

Figure 2 is a plan view, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a rear end view, partly in section;

Figure 4 is a detail transverse section showing the mounting of the various control levers, and

Figure 5 is a detail longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, It designates a suitable frame, preferably made of metal although capable of manufacture from any suitable material. Such frame at the four lower corners thereof is provided with stakes ll adapted to enter the ground and anchor the frame against accidental movement. Such frame, for instance, employs an upper rectangular portion l2 and a lower rectangular portion 13, each made of angle material and connected by means of corner posts or uprights M which may have feet I 5 resting on the horizontal web of the lower section I 3 and through which the stakes it pass, thus aiding in securing the posts and lower section together, and generally rigidifying the structure.

Resting on and slidable longitudinally of the upper section 12 is a bed frame or plate I5 for instance of U-shape in plan, having side members l6 and a cross member l'l suitably connected thereto. Parallel shafts l8 and iii are journaled on the bed frame l'l, being mounted in suitable bearings 20 and 2| thereon, the sections or parts thereof being secured together by bolts 22 and 23 which extend through elongated slots 2t in the adjacent members of the upper section l2 and such bolts 22 and 23 preferably having coil springs 25 and 26, surrounding the same and under appropriate tension to hold the parts operatively together, yet permitting sliding movement of the auxiliary frame or bed 55 A strand- Winding hook 27 is detachably carried by and rotatable with the shaft I8 and a similar hook 1937, Serial N0. 133,049

28 is detachably carried by and rotatable with the shaft is for winding full rope. Said shafts l8 and 19 have gears 29 and 30 keyed thereto and enmeshed.

Keyed to the shaft i8, is a pulley or drum body 5 3| of wood or any other desired material, with which a tire 32 on a wheel 33 is adapted to contact, so as to drive the same, the wheel and tire being representative of a rear or drive wheel and tire of an automobile or self-propelled vehicle, it being realized that the vehicle is jacked or the tire elevated above the ground when engaged with the drum 3 l.

A pair of contractile coil springs 34 are connected to the cross bar I! and also to an element of the lower frame section l3. As a result, when the tire 32 engages the drum 3|, frame ll may slide slightly so as to tension the springs 34 and thereby maintain an effective frictional grip or driving engagement between the drum 3! and the tire 32.

In operating the machine, the automobile or vehicle of which wheel 33 forms a part, is driven at a rate corresponding to fifteen to twenty miles per hour. The material such as binder twine or any other rope material, for instance manila hemp, sisal, canvas, cotton, window sash cord, gunny sack vor burlap is attached to the hook 27 and since the same is revolving, the material makes a tight strand. Three or four strands or in fact any number, may be made in this manner whereupon they are all placed together and connected to hook 28, which rotates in an opposite direction to the hook 21 because of the gearing, and which also operates at less speed since the gear 30 is larger than the gear 29, the hook 28 through its rotation serving to twist the strands into rope. The strands, rope or the like may be supported on hooks such as 35 attached to a convenient part of the machine.

In order to prevent unwinding of the strands from the hook 2'], when the same is disengaged by the drive wheel and tire 33 and 32, a brake shoe 36 may be applied against the same. This brake shoe is pivotally connected at 37 to links 38, in turn pivoted at 39 to the lower section l3. A rod til is pivoted to the brake shoe 66 at 4| and is pivoted at 42 to a lever 43, journaled on a rod M mounted in suitable brackets 45 on the 50 upper frame section l2. Such brake shoe 36 preferably has a friction lining at 45. At desired times, when the hook 2'! should remain stationary, the lever 43 may be pressed forwardly toward the hook 21, thereby causing the brake shoe 36 55 at its lining to engage the drum 3! and hold the same and hook 2'! against rotation.

The cross bar ll of the bed or auxiliary frame l5 has a rod il pivoted thereto at 48 and in turn pivoted at 49 to a lever 50 also journaled on the aforesaid rod 44. A latch 5| is pivoted to lever 59 by the pin 49 and is adapted to co-act with a keeper 52 fastened to the upper frame section 12.

It will be realized that through the rearward movement of the lever 50, rod 41 will pull the frame ll rearwardly and accordingly the drum 3! out of contact with the driving tire 32, as is desirable, when applying or removing a strand. with respect to the hook 21 or attaching or detaching rope from the hook 28.

It isobvious that the shaft l8 may be driven in any suitable manner and other than by means of the tire 32 or the like. For instance, the shaft I8 may be driven through the medium of a V- belt or equivalent, engaging a groove 53 in a pulley 5d, loose on the shaft l8. Co-acting with the pulley 5 is a clutch disk 55 rigid on the shaft l3 and having a friction facing at 56 for engagement by the adjacent end of the pulley. Normally the pulley is disengaged from the facing 55. In order to engage the pulley 54 with the clutch head 55, when the pulley 54 is driven, a lever 5? is pivoted at 53 to the upper frame section 52 and it has a pin and elongated slot connection at 59 with a collar 50 slidable on the shaft it, a coil spring 53 being interposed between washers 62 and 53, and surrounding the shaft l8. Lever 5? is adapted to be rocked to press the spring 65 against the pulley 5d and thereby move the latter to clutched engagement with the facing 5'5. To this end, lever 51' has a rod 5 3 pivoted thereto at 65, which rod at 66 is pivoted to a hand lever 57 pivoted to the aforesaid rod Ml.

When it is desired to latch the drum 3! out of driving relation with the tire 32, the lever 50 is pulled rearwardly until the latch 5|, by gravity, falls into detaining engagement with the keeper 52.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:-

1. A machine of the class described provided with twisting hooks, shafts operating said hooks, means to operate one of the shafts, gearing to drive one shaft from the other and in the opposite direction, one of said shafts having a driving drum thereon for frictional contact with a driving wheel, and brake means co acting with the drum.

2. A machine of the class described provided with twisting hooks, shafts operating said hooks, means to operate one of the shafts, gearing to drive one shaft from the other and in the opposite direction, a frame mounting said shafts, and spring means against the tension of which said frame is slidable.

3. A machine of the class described provided with twisting hooks, shafts operating said hooks, means to operate one of the shafts, gearing to drive one shaft from the other and in the opposite direction, a frame mounting said shafts, spring means against the tension of which said frame is slidable, bearings for the shafts on the frame, fastening elements for the parts of said bearings, and a supporting frame for the first mentioned frame having elongated slots in which said fastening elements extend.

4. A machine of the class described. provided with twisting hooks, shafts operating said hooks, means to operate one of the shafts, gearing to drive one shaft from the other and in theOpposite direction, a frame mounting said shafts,

spring means against the tension of which said frame is slidable, bearings for the shafts on the frame, fastening elements for the parts of said bearings, a supporting frame for the first mentioned frame having elongated slots in which said fastening'elements extend, and latch means to secure the first mentioned frame in retracted position operating automatically as the first mentioned frame is retracted.

WILLIAM L. BUTCHER. 

